


Echoes of war

by Death_13



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fire Emblem Fusion, At least for Hermes, Dark bishop Charon, Falcon Knight Hermes, First Meetings, Inspired in Fire emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of War, No Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28897350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Death_13/pseuds/Death_13
Summary: The army encampment was in chaos.Carriages, horses and people were flocking to seek asylum from war. The gates of the border, even though they were open, seemed to be about to come off their hinges because of the number of people trying to get through them.Hermes didn't need to ask, he knew where so many people were coming from. He had seen with his own eyes the misfortune that was coming from the north. From the sky the outlook was too depressing. The fire had devoured the houses of these people while the earth opened up, taking with it everything that got in its way. From Tartarus to the Elysium, the lands of the Avernus, blessed by Father Cronus, had been reduced to mere smoke and ashes. And, as a result, its population had tried to flee from misfortune.
Relationships: Charon/Hermes (Hades Video Game), Hermes & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21





	Echoes of war

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, the explanation of the fic will be in the endnotes.  
> The fic can be read perfectly well without knowing anything about fire emblem or the worldbuilding that I will explain below. Enjoy!!!

The army encampment was in chaos.

Carriages, horses and people were flocking to seek asylum from war. The gates of the border, even though they were open, seemed to be about to come off their hinges because of the number of people trying to get through them.

Hermes didn't need to ask, he knew where so many people were coming from. He had seen with his own eyes the misfortune that was coming from the north. From the sky the outlook was too depressing. The fire had devoured the houses of these people while the earth opened up, taking with it everything that got in its way. From Tartarus to the Elysium, the lands of the Avernus, blessed by Father Cronus, had been reduced to mere smoke and ashes. And, as a result, its population had tried to flee from misfortune.

His Pegasus grew restless from the noise of the masses. At this point Hermes knew that he should stop thinking about the disaster in the northern country. He left the surveillance of the border to the Pegasus knights at his command and flew to the center of the field, where he could be useful.

He left behind the thick wall that was the border and crossed the camp until he reached the big red tent where he had to inform his father. He descended gently in front of the place, tied the winged animal to a nearby post and entered by removing the red cloth from the entrance, where the meeting was organized.

He almost left the way he came in after a loud bump alerted him. The strategy table in the center of the room was shaken when the fist of an acquaintance crashed down hard, causing several pieces of the board to fall from the sides. The rage of the punch was enough to let Hermes know that his uncle Hades had been arguing with his father.

"Hades, be calm, I am sure his majesty Zeus did not mean what he said" the soft voice of a woman tried to dialogue with her uncle. Hades seemed to relax at the touch of that same woman. "I am sure it was us who misunderstood him."

It must have been an important discussion, since there were only four people in the room, not including Hermes. His uncle Hades, of furious countenance, kept his anger in check thanks to the woman at his side. Across the table his sister Athena, dressed in her shining armor, and his father Zeus.

None of those in the room seemed to notice Hermes' presence. The boy was also unwilling to interfere in any dispute among his family.

“Thank you, Persephone, I appreciate some education about this situation” Zeus did not seem affected by Hades' outburst. “Understand, brother, my resources are limited, even in Greece. I cannot afford to take in any more people as if nothing happened. I have a kingdom to rule just as you do. I hope you will not be spiteful if I respond with a denial of your plea for shelter.”

 _So that was how it was going to be_ , Hermes thought, how the war was going to be. His father was known for being an irresponsible but fearless man on the battlefield. Even if they were brothers, his father and uncle barely corresponded or cared for each other without some self-interest.

That was also Hermes' job, to be quick and professional when he had to deliver Zeus' messages to other family members. Yet he also had to keep any secrets hidden in those letters, especially if the letters he had to send from his father were intended for a woman outside of the family.

Hades frowned. He kept his rigid posture and his cold gaze in spite of Zeus' answer. Hermes knew he was not supposed to be listening to that conversation, perhaps it was Athena's place, but not his.

“However,” Persephone spoke again, calmer than Hades. “The madness of Father Cronus is known to have no limits. Our people, although strong, have suffered more than they should. We are more than capable of providing soldiers and manpower to Greece. We are only asking for protection.”

“I understand your concern, but Greece is not capable of feeding two countries without suffering the consequences.”

“So is your kingdom not as perfect as you boasted, brother?” Hades could hardly keep a neutral tone in his voice “Is your dear mother Rhea not able to perform the wonders you promise to your people? You are indeed a weak...”

“I am sorry for my husband's behavior, King Zeus," Persephone interrupted. “I understand your point of view, but I do have to warn you that no frontier has been able to retain Cronus. Although he has never attempted to cross the boundaries of our kingdom before, it has been out of respect for Mother Rhea.”

In response to the woman's kindness, Zeus was forced to think about her words. Athena stepped forward, beside her father.

“War is inevitable. It is true that Mother Rhea's health has become noticeably worse. Our fields no longer bear as much fruit, and faith in people is weakened by the goddess' lack of response.” Athena addressed Zeus this time, convinced, "If what you say is true, Queen Persephone, it is possible that not only your kingdom, but the entire continent, is in danger.”

“All right, Hades” finally answered Zeus “For now I will continue to allow your people to cross the border. I will think about your wife's offer out of respect, but I cannot promise that your people will be comfortable in my kingdom.”

Upon the tense silence that followed, Zeus turned away from Hades, until he recognized his son in the room. Athena did not seem surprised to see Hermes at the entrance.

“Hermes, my son, have you brought your report? “ asked his father. Hades and the woman called Persephone turned to look at him. Suddenly Hermes felt smaller than usual.

“Yes father," Hermes pulled from his small bag a scroll rolled up and carefully wrapped in an orange ribbon. The wax seal stood out for the simplicity of its design, a Pegasus wing. “Eros is watching over the gates to Greece.”

“Good, you can leave” were the words of Zeus before he turned to Hades. Hermes did not look back, not even when he felt his uncle's gaze following him.

Getting out of the tent made no difference to Hermes. There was still a palpable tension in the air. The refugees were easily recognizable by their dark, reddish clothing. It was like looking at a tragic picture painted in the darkest colors possible.

He approached his Pegasus and briefly stroked its white fur. It was always comforting company. Untying the animal, he began to take it away from the chaos that was that area when someone called his attention.

“Excuse me, are you Hermes?” called the voice, he didn't know how, but Hermes had heard that gentle baritone tone before. He turned just enough to find a young man, dressed in a pair of reddish-black leggings, sitting on a stone near the pegasus pole.

“The very same, is there anything you need?” Hermes would have sworn he hadn't seen the boy before entering the meeting.

“Perhaps you don't remember me” the young man tried to get up, holding on to the pole struggling, one of his hands covered his torso “I am Zagreus, son of Hades. We may have met before, but we had not introduced ourselves.”

The name echoed several times in his mind... Zagreus, Zagreus, Zagreus, Zagreus... It was certainly a strange name. On second thought, it made sense that the young man was from the Avernus. His dark armor and atypical accent revealed it, though it was not Hermes' intention to judge the boy. Even if he didn't look Greek, Zagreus inspired peacefulness and insouciance, traits that, unfortunately, Hermes had already seen in his father Zeus.

Among Hermes' many duties, being his father's messenger was one of the most important. His father trusted him enough to be the one to carry messages of great importance between the two kingdoms. It was certainly a great opportunity for Hermes to see places he could never dream of, and he was grateful for the chance. In his many expeditions to the north he rarely saw Hades escorted when it came to political matters. He did, however, recall a dark-haired young man of his own age, engaged in training with a war veteran well known even in Greece. Those were better times, without a doubt.

“Oh, of course, you must be the prince of Elysium," Zagreus did not seem too pleased over the title. Hermes bowed respectfully to the boy. “My apologies, I was returning to my place among my winged companions, I hope I was not disrespectful.”

“What? No, you don't have to be so formal, we are family” Zagreus quickly shook his head. He looked a modest boy for being the same age as Hermes. “I just wanted to know how the meeting went.”

“It went..." Hermes hesitated for a few moments, not wanting to err with his words, "I'm sorry, cousin, may I call you cousin?” a sincere nod from Zagreus helped him to continue. “Well, I can't tell you anything. It's confidential and not my role to tell you anything, in fact, I've barely been here long enough to hand in my report and leave”

The answer did not seem to convince Zagreus, who puffed unhappily. He seemed to complain, but Hermes wasn't sure if it was because of his answer or because of what he was holding his abdomen for. He stroked the Pegasus' neck so that it sat on its back.

“Are you hurt?" asked Hermes, Zagreus was about to answer before Hermes' pegasus crouched down beside him. “Of course you are hurt, get on, we have to take you to see a healer.”

Any protest from Zagreus was silenced as he climbed into the winged being's saddle. Hermes went around the camp in search of a healer capable of attending to them. It is possible that he would get lucky and would find help for the prince. _Dear Rhea_ , what Hermes would give to even find an apothecary able to help.

He tried going to the infirmary, only to find a large number of people gathered around the common well. With so many people asking for help from healers, the poor sages and priestesses were not able to attend to everyone, so they tried to group people with similar problems together. As soon as he saw this, Hermes turned around.

Just as he was about to give up, something tapped him on the shoulder. Hermes turned, startled, to find the figure of a woman in dark robes looking at him with concern. The woman looked nothing like the rest of the wounded people of Avernus. Her elegance and her face, though dulled by fatigue, conveyed concern.

“If you look for the infirmary you will find that no one will be able to help you. They are too busy to attend to you.”

Zagreus, from the mount, muttered what Hermes thought was the woman's name. She vocalized a soft _"Nyx"_ before Zagreus coughed in pain. The woman addressed Zagreus, the concern was noticeable in her voice.

“Don't worry, my child. We can take care of you.” Again, the woman turned to look at Hermes at her side “Now, we must hurry, for we do not know how serious your injury may be. Time is short.”

Hermes had never heard a voice as warm as that one. The woman herself emanated a loving aura amidst the mountain of despair all around. It was reassuring and Hermes did not hesitate to follow the woman to a small makeshift tent. The place was secluded from the infirmary, but that wasn't the strange thing. Despite the woman's assurances that she could help them, there were no other people around.

As soon as they arrived, Hermes helped Zagreus down carefully, though the boy bent over in pain again once he was on his feet. Hermes led him inside the tent, where the woman let him sit on a wooden plank built to look like a bed.

“Nyx," Zagreus spoke again, "I'm fine, I can still help with the abominations in the Acheron.”

“Now you must rest” the woman silenced him, it was quite effective “You are in no condition to fight or to pretend that you are capable. Understand that what happened is done and can no longer be changed. Take a rest, I will call one of my sons to look after you while I prepare you something for the pain.”

Nyx left the tent, leaving the two of them alone. Looking around, Hermes could see several full bags scattered around the place. He guessed that those might be concoctions and healing remedies from the strong scent of medicinal plants in the air. He could not help but shudder at the presence of magic in the air, a dark and powerful magic. Now he understood the absence of people.

Zagreus seemed to relax briefly on the bed before attempting to speak again. However, the prince could only cough, wrinkling his face due to the ache. Before he could protest, someone entered inside the tent. His height alone cast a large shadow capable of blocking the light from entering the tent, so he had to enter crouching down. He wore a thick dark cloak that covered his body and a large wide-brimmed hat that hid his face from prying eyes.

Now, that was interesting. Hermes recognized the robes of a dark bishop when he saw one in front of him. Now he could understand why the area was so isolated. The man's steps were quiet, but steady, and he did not utter a word as he entered nor as he knelt beside Zagreus.

The man pointed to Zagreus´chest.

“I thought you were busy, Charon," commented Zagreus. “You don't have to help me, I'm sure your help is needed elsewhere. If only...”

Zagreus tried to get up from the bed, only to be restrained by the man's large hands. Hermes was sure he saw glints of gold between the man's fingers. Golden rings and jewels adorned his arms, something not very common even among the commoners of Greece.

Zagreus gave in to the silent refusal, sighing before lifting his dark chain mail to see the damage. Hermes crumpled in discomfort at the sight of a large purple trail decorating the prince's side. He didn't know when such a bruise emerged, but he could be sure that Zagreus would be laid up for several days from the pain.

“It looks pretty painful, were you hit by a carriage or something?” Hermes spoke faster than his brain could think. He quickly realized his mistake when the kneeling man turned to look at him. He didn't say anything, but Hermes sensed he was being appraised by his violet eyes “I mean, it looks like it was caused by a heavy blow.”

“The blow..." Zagreus began as Charon lightly touched the cardinal, the stinging persisted. A smile graced his face as he replied, "It's confidential, my friend. I hope you understand, but I can't give you much information about my stroke here.”

“Touché, cousin” laughed Hermes, calling the attention of the crouching man. Seeing that he could do nothing to help, he turned to Charon. “Uh, is there anything I can do to help? You can ask me anything, if it's of any use to you.”

Charon did not answer right away. He raised his head slightly before pointing to one of the scattered bags in the room. A gentle request that Hermes complied with. Digging around in the bag a bit, Charon pulled out what looked like a crystal vial before handing it to Zagreus in his hand. The tinkling of the crystal gave Hermes an idea of how well prepared the stranger was for occasions like that.

“Uh, don't you have something sweeter to give me? This drink stings when you swallow it” Zagreus stopped protesting when the man's hand pressed his coloring. “Okay, okay, Charon, you're right. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this tastes horrible.”

Seeing that Zagreus was no longer restrained, Hermes helped him to sit up to drink the concoction. Under the vigilant gaze of Charon, Zagreus quickly swallowed what was inside the glass. His wrinkled face was enough to bring a smile to Hermes' lips. He helped him lie down again when Charon handed him a blanket to cover him. The man gestured for him to leave the tent before Charon.

Once outside, Hermes had the opportunity to get a better look at the man who had helped Zagreus. Even in the sunlight, the man projected a mysterious aura. The black and violet of his clothing contrasted with his pale skin and white hair. Perhaps the hat helped make him paler than most, but Hermes wasn't sure.

“Hey, thanks for helping us out there. I wouldn't have done it without your help. The infirmary is full and my siblings can't keep up with the number of people coming to the base camp.” The man's expression remained stoic despite the conversation. However, Hermes was not offended “My name is Hermes, by the way, captain of the unit of Pegasus Knights from Olympia and messenger of the court of King Zeus, it' s a pleasure to meet you. According to what I heard from my friend in there, you must be Charon.”

Charon nodded slightly. Had it not been for the movement of the hat, Hermes would have sworn that the man barely moved. Seeing that Charon was not following the conversation, Hermes had to continue. A prickle of curiosity pushed him to speak again.

“So, what did you give my friend there? If you don't mind me asking," Charon seemed to think about it for a moment. A thousand thoughts could be going through his head and yet Hermes would be unable to decipher them. Hermes was about to ask again when Charon uncovered his arm and pointed to his blue veins with his finger. “Wait, blood? Did you give him blood?”

To Hermes' relief, his companion shook his head. He pointed once to the sky and then drew the course of his veins again.

“Blood... from heaven?” Charon grunted in agreement. Hermes wasn't sure how he should interpret it, "You mean the blood of a god? - and again Charon nodded. At least he was making progress “Isn't it a bit difficult to get hold of?”

Hermes heard what sounded like a tired sigh from Charon. It was easy to understand why he might be tired.

Charon drew his attention. His curious gaze on Hermes made him uneasy, as if he was trying to find out what the knight was doing there, at that moment. Hermes was not easily intimidated, so holding Charon's gaze was not a problem.

That man was strange, Hermes thought. Not strange in a bad way, Charon was simply a type of person he had never seen before. Hermes knew many scholars who gave off a halo of mystery similar to Charon's, but none had a presence of dark magic like the man in front of him. He was dangerous, and yet Hermes couldn't help but be curious about him.

“But, and if I may comment, I must admit that I have not met many dark magic users, so I know little about it. I sense that you will be familiar with its use” a questioning grunt was what Hermes needed to find out more about Charon. “Though I wonder if dark magic is also capable of healing. Sure, the books say one thing, but it's always better to ask, don't you think?”

Hermes was walking on thin ice. In Greece, any magic far from the grace of mother Rhea was repudiated and feared because of its, according to Hermes' relatives, corrupt nature. The reputation of its users did not help its image either. It was said that the darkest magic was linked to its users by their own aura. An evil aura, destined for mere destruction.

Talking like that to a man like Charon could cost him dearly if he wasn't careful with his words. That didn't take away the thrill of trying it.

Charon seemed confused by that curiosity. But he did not deny an answer. He raised his arm and uncovered it again, this time for another purpose. At his command, Charon summoned the magic within him, letting it flow through his veins to the palm of his hand. There, a violet-colored magic ring materialized. The movement of the emblem, though calm, did not stop moving in Charon's hand.

Before Hermes had the chance to speak again, he heard the hooting of a bird near them. The spell was gone as soon as Charon's concentration vanished.

Hermes recognized the messenger owl and reached over to pick up the small piece of paper tied to the animal's leg. He stroked the bird's plumage carefully before letting the owl fly away. Hermes recognized his sister's elegant handwriting instantly. The message, short and concise, was all Hermes needed to get him going. For a single moment he admitted he didn't want to leave.

"You'll have to excuse me, but it looks like I'm going to be needed elsewhere," he began to release his Pegasus from the wooden pole. The animal, eager to return to the sky, whinnied excitedly, Hermes had to stroke its back to reassure it. "I appreciate whatever you did with my cousin in there, I hope we can meet again. And, well, clear up my doubts."

To his surprise, Charon extended his hand. Hermes stared for a few moments not knowing what to do until he realized that he was only being offered a farewell. Hermes took the hand between his own and could not help but notice the warmth resulting from Charon's magic. Later Hermes would wonder why his hands trembled as he climbed into the Pegasus and took off.

Charon did not move from the spot until the warm feeling in his hand disappeared. Not long after, he entered the makeshift tent again. Luckily, Zagreus seemed relaxed and the pain in his face had disappeared.

He knelt beside the prince and rolled up his sleeves just enough for comfort. Slowly he let the magic flow again, concentrating on his arms. Zagreus got the message and uncovered his bruised torso.

-Has Hermes left? - asked Zagreus. Charon's whisper was enough to know: "He must be very busy.

Dark energy danced between Charon's fingertips. Despite having dedicated himself to dark magic, Charon was capable of transforming that force into something more than a weapon. Carefully, he let the violet mist surround Zagreus´ wound, slowly healing it. Hermes' curiosity had been genuine and innocent, something Charon would think about for a while.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have made it this far I thank you very much. And even more so if you are reading my notes.
> 
> Fire Emblem is one of my favorite video game franchises, plus the title I've liked the most so far has been "Echoes: Shadows of Valentia". A peculiar choice, I know.
> 
> As a result I wanted to fuse both games, Hades and Shadows of Valentia, since I saw perfect to separate the kingdom of Hades from the kingdom of Zeus. As it happens in the plot of Shadows of Valentia
> 
> The realm of Hades is called Avernus (I couldn't call it the underworld without it being difficult). It is to the north of Zeus' realm and is blessed and "protected" by the god Cronus, also called father Cronus. I borrowed the concept of the country Rigel and the father/god Duma, again, from fire emblem. A territory as hostile as the god that rules it.
> 
> The kingdom of Zeus, on the other hand, is Greece, for being the target of Zagreus in the game. The country is south of the kingdom of Hades and its faith is centered on the goddess Rhea (or mother Rhea). Zeus' kingdom is inspired by Zophia and the goddess (or mother) Mila. A quieter and more peaceful place centered on the pleasures of life.
> 
> To sum up, I had some problems with the choice of classes for Hermes and Charon. Although I was clear that Charon should be a black magic user, Hermes was more complicated. I finally decided that it would be easier to write if Hermes rode a Pegasus and was a flying unit.
> 
> Damn, I had planned to write more, but that's the thing about studying, you don't have time to spare.
> 
> Anyway, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this far <3


End file.
